Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/135

 1569.] THE RISING OF THE NORTH. 121 jesty's displeasure or against her surety;' 1 and Sussex believed them and allowed them to return to their houses. Reports reached him afterwards that they had taken arms, and that the country was up ; but he ascer- tained that their stables were more than usually empty, that there were no signs of preparation in their estab- lishments, and that at least for the present no danger was to be apprehended. He had a narrow escape of falling a victim to his confidence. Assured of the popu- lar feeling on their side, the Earls believed that if they could seize York and make themselves masters of the local government, Lord Derby and the other waverers would no longer hesitate to join them. It was proposed that Northumberland with a few hundred horse should make a sudden dart upon the city some Sunday morn- ing, lie concealed in the woods till the bell ' left knoll- ing for sermon,' and then ride in, stop the doors of the cathedral, and take President and council prisoners. ' Treason ' however had a terrible sound to an English nobleman. They reflected ' that the thing might cause bloodshed/ and so 'passed it over;' 2 waiting till cir- cumstances came to their assistance and decided their course for them. Their names were often mentioned in the examina- tions which followed on Norfolk's arrest ; and it came out that they had been in correspondence with Don Guerau. The Queen required their presence in London, and though Sussex doubted the prudence of sending for 1 Sussex to the Queen, October I 2 Northumberland's confession : 30 : Border MSS. Ibid.